Baseball glove



July 25, 1944. H, LATINA 2,354,601

BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Dec. 14, 1942 L 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR HARRY B. LATIN-H July 25, 1944. H. B. LATINA BASEBALL GLOVE Filed Dec. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 mV v INVENTOIT; AR Y5.L TINA 4 TT'OR NE Y Patented July 25, 1944 BASEBALL GLOVE Harry B. Latina, East St. Louis, 111., assignor to Rawlings Manufacturing C'ompany, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation .of Missouri Application December 14, 1942, Serial No. 468,996

9 Claims.

This invention relates to baseball gloves and mitts, and has for one of its objects to provide a baseball glove that is equipped with a novel means for holding the little finger and/or thumb of the glove in an inwardly twisted condition, so

as to better adapt said part or parts to' the shape or curvature of the ball,

Another object of my invention is to provide a baseball glove that is equipped with a novel means for adjusting the little finger and/or thumb of the glove, and holding said part or parts in an inwardly twisted and downwardly deflected condition.

Another object of my invention is to provide a baseball glove, which, in addition to having the desirable features or characteristics above pointed out, is of such design or construction that the padding of the little finger and/or thumb is effectively prevented from shifting towards the center of the glove.

And still another object of my invention is to provide a glove which is of such construction that all five fingers of the users hand are effectively employed when the glove is performing its function, thereby overcoming an inherent defect of the conventional baseball glove, which isof such design that the users fifth finger or little" finger is virtually inactive, or at least, not effectively employed in the operation of throwing or catching a ball.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a front perspective View of a left hand baseball glove embodying my invention, the front side of the outer shell of the little finger being broken away so as to more clearly show the means employed to impart an inward twist to the little finger and hold the padding of same in proper position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear perspective view, with the back side of the outer shell of the little finger broken away.

Figure 3 is a front perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating another form of my invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the thumb of the glove, illustrated in Figure 3, showing the thumb stall extension member in full lines.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the-little finger of the glove, illustrated in Figure 3, showing the extension member of the little finger stall,

Figure 6 is a plan view, illustrating the preferred method of constructing the stall extension member for either the little finger or the thumb and Figure 7 is a plan view, illustrating another way of constructing the finger stall extension member.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, which illustrate one form of my invention the reference character A designates the little finger of the glove, which is provided with the usual outer shell I, inner lining 2, and padding 3, disposed at the front side of the little finger. Said little finger A is held in an inwardly twisted condition by one or more flexible members a; that preferably extend over or across the padding 3 and effectively prevent the same from shifting out of the position said padding is intended to occupy. The terms twist and twisted condition, as herein used, are intended to meana condition or position of the little finger and/or thumb that results from turning or rotating the tip portion of said part about its longitudinal axis, and then securing or holding it in this altered condition, wherein the ball contacting surface of its tip portion is disposed in a substantially different plane than the ball contacting surface of the base portion of said part. This twist or twisted condition of the little finger and/or thumb is something separate and distinct and entirely different from the cupped condition of the little finger and/or thumb, produced by drawing the tip portion of same inwardly and downwardly, as hereinafter described; In the form of my invention shown in Figures 1' and 2, the flexible members a: consist of thongs of leather or other suitable material, anchored in any suitable way at or adjacent the front side of the base end of the little finger, and extending upwardly in a general spiral direction, around the little finger, to the rear side of same, where said thongs are fastened or secured, so as to hold them taut or under some tension. The thongs a: can be conveniently formed from a long lacing that is doubled or folded, after which the two strands of said lacing are-inserted through holes 4 in the inner lining that are disposed at the front side of the base end of the little finger, as shown in broken lines in Figure l and in full lines in Figure 2. After inserting said strands through the holes 4, said strands are positioned between the padding 3 and the shell I of the little finger and drawn upwardly around said finger to holes 5 formed in the rear side of the shell I of the little finger. After being drawn outwardly through the holes 5, the strands are again positioned between the padding 3 and the inner face of the shell I by inserting the free ends of the strands through holes 6 and I in the shell, and then tying knots 8 in the strands, so as to hold them taut,

the ball. Obviously, the'free ends" of the flexible members at'can be tied together, so as to hold said members under tension after they have been shaped devices disposed with their closed ends presented inwardly in opposed relation, and with their legs or top and bottom portions disposed parallel, or substantially parallel, to the front and rear sides of the palm portion of the shell of the glove, said finger stall extension members being combined with torsion devices, or tension devices, ofthe kind previously described, that are employed to impart an inward twist to the little finger and to the thumb of the glove. Thus, as

shown in the drawings, the top leg or top portion tightened, and while I prefer to lace the mem-'" bers a? back and forth through holes in the rear side of the shell of the little finger, as previously explained, this is not essential. The important thing is that the member or members x'be anchored at the front side of the base end of the of the finger stall extension member E for the little finger A of the glove, is provided at its outer end with thongs, strands or flexible elements x 'that extend around the little finger of i the glove over the padding 3 of same, from the base to the terminal portion of said little finlittle finger, and then pass around or overthe padding 3 to the rear side of the little finger, where said flexible members are secured under suffi-" cient tension to hold the little finger in an inwardly twisted condition, it being immaterial how the flexible member or members. pare arranged or constructed, so long as the result described is attained.

I prefer, to fasten or secure the torsion members or tension members a: to the rear side of the little finger, in proximity to the upper end of said finger, so as to cause thetip portion of the'little finger to be drawn inwardly and downwardly, when the torsion members are tightened, as this tends toncupthe littlefinger inwardly, and in conjunction with the inward twist of said finger, increases the users control of the ball, I

wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to a glove in which the members or means,

that imparts an inward twist to the little finger eXtendsspiraIIy from, the base, end. to-the tip portionv of, the little finger, as my broad idea. con-. templates attaching the member ormembers to therear side of the little finger at a, point, considerably below theupper end or tip portion ofthesaidfinger.

In Figures 1 and,2 ;;of. the drawings, I have illustrated only. the little finger of the glove, as being equipped with a. means for maintaining it in a downwardly deflected and inwardly twisted. condition,.but this sameideais applicable to the thumb or thumb ,stall' of .the glove. .Accordingly,

I wish it tobe; understood that, my invention contemplates constructing either. thethumb or the little finger of. theglove inthe manner previously describedor constructing both the; thumhand little finger in this manner...

. In Figures 3,. 4 and of ,the .drawings I'have. illustrated a. baseball, glove,.which, in addition to havingthe desirable featuresand characters. isticsof the glove shownin Figures 1 and 2, is so constructedor, designed v,that..-it.makes surethat all five fingers of, the usershandwill be effectively employed. in. the, control of a, ball that is beingthrown or, caught. As shown in the drawings, the glove.is; providedwith finger stallv extension members E and F, located .on the interior of the glove. at the, base-of thelittlefinger and thev thumb, respectively, and dispo-sedin such I relative relationship. that when the. user's hand.

isinserted in the glove, the; thumb and little finger of the handwill engage said extension members sufiiciently .to.,proper.ly control -.or manipu-a late. the little finger of the glove, even though, only the tip portion of the .little finger of.-the,

users handis engaged with thelittlefinger stall extension member ofthe glove. ,Saidfinger stall extension members .13 and}? are formed by loop-,

bottomportion of the loop-shaped member E,

are thongs or strands x which are inserted through holes in the inner lining and tied or knotted so as to securely anchor said bottom leg in position. The finger stall. extension member F forthe thumb B of the glove is of similar construction, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is provided with anchoring strands or thongs 0: and with tension or torsion thongs at, said torsionstrands m extendin spirally around the thumb from the front side to the rear side of the thumb, where said strands 9: are secured to the rear side of the terminal, portion of the thumb by knots in the strands, or by tying the terminal ends of the strands together. In the operation of catching a ball, the pressure which the users little finger and thumb exert on the stall extension members E and F increases the pull or strain on the strands :c and 32 respectively, which are relied upon to impart an inward twist to the little fin'ger and thumb and draw the tip portions of sion strand :0 and provided at its opposite end with an anchoring strand 0:

In the two forms of my invention herein illustrated and described, the thongs, strands, or flexible members that areused to impart an inward twist to the little finger and/or thumb; are anchored on the interior of the glove in such a way'thatthe" lower end portions of said elements are not exposed or located on the exterior of the shell, where they might be subjected to abrasion, or might form protuberances on the surface of the ball pocket of the glove. vious, however, that the members 3:, or equivalent .means could be anchored in other ways, and could be arranged partly on the exterior of" the shell. .For example, the. members a: could lead forwardly through holes in the front side of the shell to a'second group of -holes,..through which said members it? pass.- inwardly SQ as .to

lie between the inner face of. the shell and the.

padding 3 at the front, side of the part of, the

glove with which said members :1: are associated.

Moreover, while I, 'have herein illustratedand It is ob-- described my invention as being applied to a baseball glove, I wish it to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to a baseball mitt, which, as is well understood, is provided with stalls, pockets, or receptacles for receiving the thumb and fingers of the users hand. Accordingly, wherever I have herein referred to a glove either in the specification or in the claims, 1

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A baseball glove whose little finger and/or thumb has combined with same, a flexible member that is attached to the front and rear sides of said part at points remote from each other, and which extends substantially spirallyaround said part, said flexible member being taut and of such length between said points of attachment as to impart an inward twist to said part.

2. A baseball glove whose little finger and/or thumb is provided with a taut flexible member, attached to the front side of said part at the base end of same and extending in a substantially spiral direction to the rear side of said part where said member is secured at a point adjacent the upper end of said part.

3. A baseball glove of the kind described in claim 2, in which said flexible member extends over the usual padding at the front side of said part.

4. A baseball glove whose little finger and/or thumb is provided with a flexible member under tension, extending in a general spiral direction from the front side of the lower end of said part to the rear side of the upper end of said part where said flexible member is secured.

5. A baseball glove whose little finger and/or thumb is provided with a plurality of flexible strands anchored at one end in the interior of the glove and disposed between the padding and shell at the front side of said part and leading to the'rear side of said part where said strands are secured under sufficient tension to hold said part in an inwardly twisted condition.

6. A baseball glove'provided with a stall, a. stall extension member formed by a substantially loop-shaped device, arranged on the interior of theglove at the base-of said stall, the closed end or fold of said stall extension member being presented towards the center of the palm portion of the glove, and a flexible strand attached to one leg of said stall extension member and disposed so as to extend substantially spirally around the stall with which'said stall extension member coacts, said strand being attached to said stall so as to hold said stall in a twisted condition.

7. In a baseball glove, a thumb or little finger stall, a stall extension member on the interior of the glove, located at the base end of said stall,

said stall extension member being formed by '2 substantially loop-shaped device, one of whose legs is anchored to the glove, and a flexible strand leading from the other leg of said device and extending spirally around said stall from the front to the rear side of same and maintained under suflicient tension to hold said stall in an inwardly twisted condition.

8. In a baseball glove, a little finger and/or thumb stall, a stall extension member located on the interior of the glove at the base of said stall, said stall extension member being formed by a substantially loop-shaped device arranged with its closed end presented inwardly towards the palm portion of the glove, one leg of said device being anchored, and a flexible strand leading from the other leg of said device between the shell and the padding at the front side of said stall, said strand being secured under tension to the rear side of said stall adjacent the tip endoi same. a 9. A baseball glove or mitt, having a little finger and a thumb, stall extension members for said little finger and thumb, arranged on the interior of the glove at the base or inner ends of said little finger and thumb, said stall extension members being formed by loop-shaped devices arranged with their closed ends in opposed relation and presented towards the palm portion of the glove, and flexible strands combined with said stall extension members and with said little finger and thumb for drawing the tip portions of said finger and thumb downwardly and inwardly, due to the pressure the user exerts on said stall extension members in the operation of catchin a ball.

- HARRY B. LATINA. 

